We
wish to thank the Canadian Union of Public Employees for the principled
stand you took in support of the global campaign of boycott, divestment
and sanctions against Israel. The state of Israel is in illegal occupation of
Palestinian territories and in defiance of international law and repetaed Security Council resolutions. Throughout this
occupation, Israeli practices, which include extra-judicial assassination,
detention without charge or trial, torture, denial of health care, daily
humiliation, demolition of thousands of homes and expropriation of Palestinian
land for the creation of illegal jewish colonies
[settlements], are in violation of virtually every article of the Fourth Geneva Convention, and are
thus defined, by international law, as war
crimes.

A strong
message has thus been sent to Israel, and to our own government,
that respect of international law is expected from all states, and that
defiance of international law, by any state, will not be rewarded .